For Tasmanian Denis Webber, booking an appointment with his GP when he is feeling unwell or needs medication is not always simple.
A few months ago, the 69-year-old from Sorell in southern Tasmania was forced to go to the Royal Hobart Hospital for what he described as a "small problem" because there were no GP appointments available for weeks.
"It's nearly impossible to see one when you need them," he said.
"We've got a shortage of doctors, the clinic tries to fit you in where they can but if you can't go, you can't go."
Sorell resident Christine Halidone shared a similar experience and now books her GP appointments in advance after she waited more than three and a half weeks to see a doctor.
"If I've run out of medication I can't do anything about it, I've got to wait," she said.
The doctor shortage also means anyone new to Sorell will have to travel by car or bus to their GP appointment because there are currently no clinics in the area that are taking new patients.
Several GP clinics in Sorell told the ABC their books were full and it would be several months before any locally based doctors would be able to see someone new.
"Doctors are struggling to keep up with demand, we were struggling prior to the pandemic but COVID has made it 10-20 per cent worse," Australian Medical Association (AMA) spokesman John Saul said.
'Beautiful Tassie' but doctors not going to rural areas
And the situation is not confined to southern Tasmania, with more than 60 vacant GP positions across the state.
"Nubeena could do with another GP, Triabunna, Bicheno, Swansea they all need another GP in those surgeries and that's not even starting on the north-west coast of Tasmania," Dr Saul said.
He believes more investment in primary health and general practice would save the federal and state governments more money in the long run.
"If I do a callout on a Sunday night to a nursing home, Medicare will fund me $140 for two hours of work," Dr Saul said.
"If that patient has to go to a hospital emergency department by ambulance, that will cost around $3,000 and if they get admitted to hospital, the average admission cost is around $5,000.
"We've got a domino effect, without enough GPs we've got more strain on our hospital emergency departments."
A Health Department spokesperson said emergency departments at Tasmania's public hospitals were continuing to experience high demand.
"While the federal government is predominantly responsible for funding GPs and primary care, the Tasmanian government has been making a number of investments into community-based care strategies designed to provide Tasmanians with alternatives to attending a hospital for non-life-threatening medical issues, " the spokesperson said.
Doctors fear the situation could worsen during the winter months.
"I'm hoping our communities will get vaccinated against the flu because that will certainly help as we enter the flu season with low levels of immunity," Dr Saul said.
